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How to Choose an Information Technology Service Company

How to Choose an Information Technology Service Company

Businesses and home users alike are often challenged by the thought of how to choose an information technology service company. And, let’s face it. Everyone has had both good and bad experiences with business technology service providers and integrators.

At Loquient, when interviewing potential new clients, we hear a lot of crazy stories and always the same complaints. Below are the top issues companies experience with their current business computer repair companies and our strategies to avoid them.

Complaint Number 1: “I can never get a hold of anyone when I need them.”
There is nothing more frustrating than approaching a deadline only to encounter a technology problem when your computer repair company is missing in action. As you consider potential new integrators ask if they will provide mobile and home phone numbers of the owners and technicians. Additionally, your integrator should have an automated system for capturing, recording, and responding to help desk tickets.

At Loquient, every company is assigned two business technology engineers that are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Additionally, companies can use our automated help desk system to send requests for support by email, phone or text messaging. We guarantee a certified engineer will personally respond to your request within 30 minutes.

Complaint Number 2: “Problems never get fixed.”
Problems don’t just magically resolve themselves and it can be frustrating if your current business technology support company does not explain why the problem is happening and how it can be resolved. This can lead to expensive downtime that negatively affects both productivity and your company’s bottom line.

At Loquient, all of our engineers have multiple certifications with Microsoft, Cisco, and other leading information technology manufacturers and developers. Combined with over 25 years of experience, you can be confident problems will be resolved efficiently and expediently by our competent staff.

Complaint Number 3: “If anything ever happens to our technology guy we would be in trouble.”
As the owner of a company or person responsible for managing your information technology infrastructure, ensuring your current business computer systems are well documented is very important. Additionally, all software and systems should have multiple layers of fail-safes to ensure no one technology is dependent on a single person or solution provider.

As part of our service level agreement plans, Loquient Tech Source performs an in-depth environmental scan of your current technology infrastructure to document and record all system configurations, passwords and technical support numbers. We ensure that all companies under our computer maintenance plans are able to continue business as usual, even if internal or external staffing and provider changes are made.

Complaint Number 4: “We continually get invoices, but I have no idea what they are for.”
If you are currently receiving invoices that have a single line item with the description of service, this is a problem. All invoicing from your information technology service provider should be detailed, as if from a major law firm. This will help you understanding what changes have been made to your business computer infrastructure and how it affects the overall strategy for maintaining your systems.

At Loquient Tech Source, we provide all of our clients with detailed invoicing and reports that show the number of computers that were repaired, a review of the repairs, actions that were made, what will be needed in the future and the age of all equipment. This keeps our customers up-to-date with their current computer technology landscape and allows for the proactive budgeting of equipment replacement. Additionally, we provide reports letting you know how many viruses have been blocked, the allocation of bandwidth on your network and what resources are being used the most. This allows businesses to plan and budget for areas of growth that provide competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Complaint Number 5: “We never see our technology service provider unless there is a problem.”
One of the least effective strategies for managing your business computer technology and information technology infrastructure is reactive. Waiting until technology breaks or is no longer working can cause delays in service restoration and repair. All businesses should avoid reactive technology management strategies.

Loquient Tech Source ensures your computer technology is in top working condition by continually maintaining and monitoring performance. Our system engineers will stop by your location at least once per week to ensure all computers are working optimally and no problems exist. We also continually scan systems for viruses and malware that may go undetected. This ensures your company data remains secure and systems and email operate without issue.

Complaint Number 6: “We are paying way too much for the service we are getting.”
You could be paying too much if you don’t know the services you should receive. Is your computer repair company routinely applying updates and service packs from Microsoft and other software providers? Is your technology integrator monitoring and maintaining workstation, server, and mobile device performance? Can you current IT company give you a list of activities performed and potential virus, adware and malware threats that are blocked? Do you know the status of your current backup?

Without exception, when Loquient Tech Source’s team of information technology expert engineers evaluates the status of potential clients’ business computer infrastructure, there are always holes. Often we find that no recoverable backups of systems have been performed and all computers and servers are without current updates from Microsoft or Apple. Bottom line, it takes time and resources to ensure your company’s technology infrastructure is properly maintained and protected against threats. If you only see your technology company when there is a problem or malfunction, you have a bigger problem.

Complaint Number 7: “We never see the same engineer twice and are our technology support company charges us for time spent learning about our system or software.”
There is a difference between professional technology integrators and one-man shops. The new American economy has been tough on computer repair and information technology professionals. This has resulted in a proliferation of “new” companies that tout IT support capabilities. Being a business technology integrator is more than one myopic skill such as database programming. It is understanding your business and how technology can be leveraged to positively contribute to your bottom line and success. A professional computer integrator will ask questions about your business model and present solutions that are proven and effective.

Loquient’s professional computer engineers will not need to learn on-site. They will have researched your issue and be ready with a solution before either connecting remotely to your systems or visiting in person. Because you are assigned to a team of professionals whose job is to know all aspects of your technology, this eliminates potential gaps in knowledge. Loquient’s team of engineers prides themselves on their level of knowledge, expertise and experience.

Complaint Number 8: “Our information technology support company never provides new ideas for leveraging technology to a competitive advantage.”
All information technology support companies should be asking questions about the innerworkings of your business and what goals need to be accomplished for success. The bottom line, some companies simply do not have these skills. They may be great at fixing a server or replacing desktop systems, but this is only one dimension related to effective information technology management.

At Loquient, our staff is dedicated to researching and testing new technologies that provide competitive advantage. Additionally we look at market trends, competitor technology strategies, effective use of cloud solutions that might increase productivity and decrease overall infrastructure costs. Often there is not one solution but a mixture of hybrid solutions that works best for a particular company. Our expert technology integrators ensure you have the best solutions that provide the greatest amount of positive results.

Complaint Number 9: “We can never retrieve any documents from our backup system.”
If there is one technology all companies should monitor and invest in—it is backup systems. These systems are vital to ensure your servers and workstations can be restored within minutes, if a disaster should strike. It is also the one activity and technology that is often overlooked by system integrators.

Loquient uses a separate maintenance schedule just for backup technology. At least once a month, we test the recovery of your server to a new system to ensure no downtime would be experienced should a disaster occur. We also use proprietary software and practices that ensure a zero failure rate for recovery of systems and files. This protects you from any threat either virus or physical that could affect productivity and/or profits.

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